The following documents are mentioned in the description hereafter:    Bohacs, K and Suter, J. (1997). Sequence Stratigraphic Distribution of Coaly Rocks: Fundamental Controls and Paralic Examples. AAPG Bulletin, V. 81, No. 10 (October 1997), P. 1612-1639.    Granjeon D. et Joseph P. (1999) Concepts and Applications of a 3D Multiple Lithology, Diffusive Model in Stratigraphic Modeling. In: Harbaugh J. W., Watney W. L., Rankey E. C., Slingerland R., Goldstein R. H., Franseen E. K. (Eds.). Numerical Experiments in Stratigraphy: Recent Advances in Stratigraphic and Sedimentologic Computer Simulations. SEPM Special Publications, 62, p. 197-210.    Mann, U. and Zweigel, J., (2008). Modelling Source Rock Distribution and Quality Variations: The OF-Mod approach. In: Analogue and Numerical Forward Modelling of Sedimentary Systems; from Understanding to Prediction (P. L. de Boer, G. Postma, C. J. van der Zwan, P. M. Burgess and P. Kukla, eds.). Special Publication 40 of the International Association of Sedimentologists, pp. 239-274.
Assessing the petroleum potential of a sedimentary basin requires to best characterize the distribution of sediments in a sedimentary basin and, more particularly, the distribution and the quality of the organic matter within these sediments, controlled by the deposition, and at least one of degradation and preservation processes relative to this organic matter. Good characterization of organic matter-rich sedimentary layers thus notably requires good understanding the basin stratigraphy, that is the geometry of the sedimentary layers, the distribution of the fine and coarse sediments within these layers and the impact of the filling dynamics on the final distribution and the quality of the organic matter.
Mostly, current stratigraphic models allow tracing the history of inorganic sediment deposits within a basin. However, the petroleum industry additionally wants to know whether, over geologic time, the basin has experienced favorable conditions for organic matter deposition and preservation, as well as the location and quality of such deposits, if relevant.
Thus, it appears important to predict the distribution and the quality of the organic matter within a sedimentary basin. Three types of organic matter can generally be distinguished:                organic matter of marine origin, resulting from the in-situ production of organic matter, initially produced in the photic zone, then preserved over geologic time;        lacustrine organic matter, resulting from the in-situ production of organic matter, initially produced in the photic or benthic zone, then preserved over geologic time; and        terrestrial organic matter, resulting from the in-situ production of organic matter, at the land surface of a sedimentary basin, then preserved over geologic time.        
The Of-Mod™ model (SINTEF, Norway) predicts the distribution and the quality of organic matter deposited in a marine environment in stratigraphic sequences. This model is notably described in the document (Mann and Zweigel, 2008). This model requires a 3D numerical model of the sedimentary basin, provided by a stratigraphic model or a geomodeller, and it quantifies the organic carbon content of sediments by simulating the organic matter production and degradation. However, although this model can be adapted to the prediction of distribution and quality of marine organic matter, management of the terrestrial organic matter in this model is relatively far from the physical reality. Indeed, the approach described in this application is based on a hypothesis for correlation between the inorganic sediment supplies and the terrestrial organic matter. Furthermore, this model does not determine terrestrial organic matter production/preservation zones as a function notably of a hydrologic balance and/or of the fluid circulations within the basin.
EP patent application 2,743,738 which corresponds to US published application 2014/0,163,883 concerns the determination of the organic matter distribution and quality in a sedimentary basin from a coupling between a stratigraphic model and an organic matter production, degradation and transport model. However, the production, degradation and transport model described in this application is relatively simplistic in the case of a terrestrial organic matter deposit because it does not realistic alloy model at least one of the hydrologic state of the basin and of the fluid circulations within the basin. Indeed, in the case of this approach, the groundwater level is assumed to be proportional to a water flux at the basin surface. This hypothesis is, in many cases, far from reality. Thus, for example, this hypothesis disregards: (1) the very high impact that the presence of a lake may have on the groundwater table and, therefore, on the vadose zone; (2) the existence of river systems disconnected from the water tables. Thus, such a hypothesis might lead to incorrectly reproduce the palustrine environments (terrestrial organic matter production zones around lakes) or to overestimate the production of terrestrial organic matter in topographic highs (where rivers and water tables may often appear to be disconnected).